Share I have many parents asking me: When you do feel that the time is right, here are a few tips to make the transition a little easier: Avoid moving them into a big kid bed when they are already experiencing other changes in their life such as toilet training, illness, moving house, new sibling etc. Make sure you already have a regular bedtime routine in place, and continue to follow this when you make the transition.

You may choose to bring bedtime earlier by mins on the day you make the transition to allow for an adjustment period, as they may naturally take longer to fall asleep with the new change — 6: Incorporate plenty of fun play in their room every day and at least three days before making the transition. Refrain from tickling as this can make children feel trapped, vulnerable and unsafe — the very feelings we want to discourage for optimal sleep!

Introduce min of quality one-on-one time distraction free into your daily routine. Some parents choose to install a safety gate temporarily to avoid potential accidents in the middle of the night.

Children need to offload their emotions particularly fear and insecurity at times of change and do so predominantly through tears and tantrums — day and night!. But, if we can hold a loving space for our children to release their heavy feelings by listening lovingly, and offering warm validation and physical closeness we can assist them to transition with greater ease and velocity.

Keep in mind children are extremely efficient at recovering from stress and trauma either momentary or past-tense.

If we distract our children, or prevent them from crying during their waking hours — e. There is always an adjustment period when it comes to changing routine. You can expect that your toddler may begin resisting bedtime, coming out of their bed multiple times before they fall asleep and overnight , and there may be some tears. If you feel your child needs some extra encouragement on the first few nights, you can either sit with them in a chair beside their bed until they fall asleep, or pull up a mattress on the floor beside them to sleep yourself — just be mindful of creating undesirable sleep crutches!

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Keep in mind this is a big transition for parents too! Be patient and kind as you make this change together. Sophie Acott sophie sleepplaylove. With her down-to-earth, holistic, and sustainable approach, Sophie helps families all over the world to overcome the many challenges faced by modern-day parenting.

Share or comment on this article: We love the engineering and design behind it and the fact that it can also be used as a play pen," says Tina Summers of parenting website Loved by Parents.